This Small Town in Georgia Hosts One of the South’s Biggest Spring Festivals — and Its Best Resort Has Access to the Sold-out Event

The Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival kicks off the high season in Greensboro, Georgia.

The appearance of azaleas and blooming tulips may signal the official arrival of spring in the South, but on the shores of Georgia’s Lake Oconee, there’s another event that indicates warmer temperatures are on the horizon. And no, it’s not the Masters — although that appears on the calendar not long after.

Established in 2008, the annual Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival has become legendary across the region, with its dynamic roster of culinary talent and programming that includes live music, art, wine tastings, and charity auctions. The 2023 festival will happen March 17 through 19, and thanks to its close proximity to Atlanta — typically around an 80-minute drive — it’s attracting visitors from all over the country.

That attraction, in part, stems from the weekend’s offerings — think barbecue, oysters, wines from around the world, and gourmet dining experiences — but the appeal is also in the destination. If the festival is the main character during the third weekend of March, the setting is its perfect foil. The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee plays host to the three-day event, offering an unbeatable location with 30 acres of lakefront views, five golf courses, and every luxury amenity you could ask for — all nestled among the property’s majestic Georgia pines.

The festival’s robust calendar of events, including a Game & Beer Dinner, Jazz Brunch, and Grand Wine Tasting, occurs on the resort’s grounds. “It’s a big melting pot of Southern food and wine culture where you can indulge from the best of the best,” Chef Dennis Vanterpool told Travel + Leisure. As the resort’s executive chef, Vanterpool has a hand in just about every aspect of the Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival, what he calls “one of [his] favorite weekends of the year.”

While general admission tickets are now sold out, the resort is offering two packages that grant guests unparalleled access to everything the weekend has in store. The Lake Oconee Food & Wine Package (starting at $1,209 per night, two-night minimum) includes overnight accommodations and two tickets to the festival’s events. If you want a truly unforgettable weekend, though, reserving the Lake Oconee Food & Wine Epicurean Package is the way to go. Along with a stay in either a Fireside Executive Suite or Club Level Executive Suite, the package comes with two tickets to all of the public events, a chef-curated welcome amenity, and an additional credit to the spa. The package starts at $2,773 USD per night, with a two-night minimum, and all the details on booking can be found at lakeoconeefoodandwine.com.

No matter which package you choose, there’s one event you absolutely can’t miss during the weekend, according to Chef Vanterpool: the Brew & Que. “We set up our smokers and grills lakeside and begin prepping for the day early in the morning. The resort air is filled with tangy, sweet, smoky flavors that feel very nostalgic to me and so many; you truly can’t beat it.” For Vanterpool, the festival is more than just a chance to introduce top-tier culinary experiences to guests; it’s a way to “[create] a gathering place for people who truly embrace the Southern food and wine culture.”

“I love the energy it brings… and the opportunity to host some of the best chefs and winemakers in the region,” shared Vanterpool. That palpable hum of excitement Chef Vanderpool speaks of isn’t just felt ahead of the Lake Oconee Food & Wine Festival, though. It’s subtle yet simultaneously unmistakable, and it’s what sets the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in a category all on its own.

Shared among staff, a genuine passion for the resort extends to every corner of the tranquil retreat. It creates a level of care and attention to the guest experience that guarantees the five-star hotel isn’t relying solely on its name or past recognition to maintain status as a top lakefront destination. From the family-friendly amenities that induce a pleasant nostalgia (like old-fashioned tree swings overlooking the lake and complimentary nightly s’mores) to more elevated activities  — a round of golf, an afternoon at the spa, or a visit to the nearby Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds — the team continuously strives to ensure the resort is equally as luxurious as it is welcoming and unforgettable.

So even if you can’t make it down to the resort in March, there are plenty of other times (and reasons) to experience the magic of the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. Whether you’re bringing the family for spring break or simply in need of a long weekend spent in the presence of fresh air and water, the lakefront property is sure to provide every ounce of fun, relaxation, and rejuvenation you’re looking for.

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